Kenneth Brian Fischer, 39, of the 800 block of Amherst Lane in Westminster, is facing charges in Virginia on four counts of solicitation of a minor in connection with an online chat investigation that began on Aug. 31 by the Fairfax County Police Major Crime Bureau, Child Exploitation Unit, according to a news release from Maryland State Police, which assisted in the investigation.

Kenneth Brian Fischer, 39, of the 800 block of Amherst Lane in Westminster, is facing charges in Virginia on four counts of solicitation of a minor in connection with an online chat investigation that began on Aug. 31 by the Fairfax County Police Major Crime Bureau, Child Exploitation Unit, according to a news release from Maryland State Police, which assisted in the investigation.

Almost a week after a Carroll County Public Schools teacher was arrested on charges of soliciting a minor online, the school board has announced it will hold a special meeting next week to act on the superintendent’s recommendation to fire the teacher.

The West Middle School teacher and former Carroll County Public Schools Teacher of the Year has been suspended by the school system without pay since his arrest.

The meeting — scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, in the Charles I. Ecker Boardroom at the Board of Education offices — will follow a closed session at 4:30 p.m. School system spokeswoman Carey Gaddis confirmed Monday’s meeting will be for the Board of Education to act on Superintendent Stephen Guthrie’s recommendation to terminate Fischer.

A detective posing as a 14-year-old boy was contacted by a stranger, later identified as Fischer, through a geosocial cellphone application, according to a news release from the Fairfax County Police Department. Fischer initiated a conversation with the detective and, soon after, solicited sexual contact with the detective, whom he believed to be a juvenile, according to the release. Fischer also sent sexually explicit images, presumably of himself, to the detective, according to the release.

Sheriff Jim DeWees said Monday “several tips” had come in through the line since it was created Friday. Someone who calls during business hours will likely get a live person to talk with, while someone who calls after-hours will be prompted to leave a message on an answering machine. Anyone who leaves a tip should expect a call back, he said.

“We do encourage people who have information — regardless of how minute you think it might be — to pick up the phone and call us,” DeWees said. “We want to hear from people.”

Over the weekend, the Board of Education announced it is launching an independent investigation of its own policies following Fischer’s arrest.

“As a Board, we want to assure you that a complete and thorough investigation is being conducted by law enforcement,” a news release from the BOE reads. “Even so, we have taken steps to retain an independent investigator to thoroughly review our policies and procedures. We believe that this added measure will ensure we are doing all we can do as a school system to protect our children.”

Existing board policies call for complaints against a teacher, administrator or any other public schools employee to be investigated by the school system’s Human Resources department, but a formal record does not go into an employee’s personnel file if the complaint cannot be substantiated with proof and/or corroboration, said Chantress Baptist, the school system’s director of human resources.

That said, the knowledge of any investigations remain in the Human Resources office, she added.

There are several ways complaints can be filed against school system employees, such as speaking to the HR department in person or calling the CCPS ethics hotline at 410-386-1668.

The HR department conducts an investigation once the complaint is filed, and talks to as many people involved as possible, such as the person who filed the complaint, if they cooperate; other students; teachers; and anyone else who might have knowledge of the situation, Baptist said. “We will investigate and speak to all available parties,” she added.

If it’s a situation such as an employee stealing, it’s handled differently than if there’s a complaint of something like child abuse, Baptist said. In a situation where a child is involved, the school system would contact the Department of Social Services immediately, she said.

If the complaint can be verified and backed up by corroborating evidence, the human resources department will bring a recommendation for either discipline or termination, depending on the situation, she said. If the recommendation involves disciplinary action, it will go to the superintendent to carry it out. Any recommendations for termination must go before the Board of Education, she said.

Baptist said if the complaint results in recommended termination, the employee still has the ability to appeal the decision to the Maryland State Board of Education.

According to the Code of Maryland Regulations, or COMAR, grounds for suspension or dismissal of a teacher, principal, supervisor, assistant superintendent, or other professional assistant must be for one of five things: immorality; misconduct in office, including knowingly failing to report suspected child abuse in violation of the Family Law Article; insubordination; incompetency; or willful neglect of duty.

Before removing the individual, according to the code, the board needs to send the person a copy of the charges and give them an opportunity within 10 days to request a hearing. If they requests a hearing, the board will hold a hearing and the person will have an opportunity to be heard before the board in person or by counsel and to bring witnesses to the hearing.